Branding Cows

May 18, 1986|By Harry I. Shuman, M.D.

WOODRIDGE — The federal government has decided to slaughter over 900,000 dairy cows in an effort to prop up the price of milk and milk products. I wish to comment on the method the USDA is demanding that farmers use to identify the animals for slaughter: hot-ironing branding a three-inch ``X`` on the face of each animal.

This barbaric technique is cruel, painful and unnecessary, because painless methods of marking are readily available.

If societies are truly judged on how they treat their animals, we must call for a halt to this process.